Date/Location: | April 16th, 2022 – Milton, CA |
Distance: | 43mi |
Place: | 2nd, Cat |
Teammates: | Anna Soares, Shantelle Tupaz, Troy Soares |
It’s again been two years since I’ve raced here. COVID shut it down in 2020 and last year the race was in July. Today is looking like rain. We packed gear for all possibilities.
We get to the race early since Anna is scheduled for the 8:50am Junior Girls. The pros have started and it’s raining off and on. I feel sorry for them! We set up a tent on the backside of the van and tie it down good. Anna finds out that she is the only rider in her race. The race staff are going to allow her to race with me and her triathlon competitor/friend Shantelle.
As it gets closer to our start 2 hours later the weather is looking great! It appears that the rain is going to hold off. Thank you Lord! At the start line I decide to take off leg warmers and my rain coat. I put the rain coat in my back pocket just in case and encourage Anna to do the same with hers. Beside Anna, Shantelle and myself, there are only 2 other girls. Looks like the weather seemed to chase away riders today.
We roll out. We ride “neutral” or without taking off until the first turn. We turn onto the bumpy road. Here we go! I am doing pretty well keeping with the group but I’m not doing a good job staying in the draft. Anna is staying well in the pack. I can see Shantelle’s dad and van up ahead and I see the “feed zone” or aid station just beyond him. Right at the van, Shantelle takes off. Anna and another girl (Evelyn) try to react and pull away from me. I'm with the other girl. The long climb begins here and I am able to pull away from the girl next to me. Anna and Evelyn are in the distance and I can see Anna is pulling away.
I climb alone. I am eventually able to catch Evelyn and I can see Anna in the distance. I decide I should try to catch Anna so we can work together. I almost catch her at the top of the climb. It’s tough work going up and I am lacking the endurance for hills. As it flattens out and I continue to try to catch Anna. Eventually at a confusing part of the course, I see her turn around. She asks me where we go. There is an arrow apparently pointing straight but also a bunch of cones to the left. We go left as a pack of riders goes by and tells us we are going the wrong way. Oops! I should have known! We hop back on the road and see that Evelyn passed us. Anna and I decide to take turns pulling each other along.
The backside of the course is a long bumpy stretch but fortunately we have a tail wind pushing us along so isn’t so bad. Evelyn seems to allude us but we keep trying. It’s fun working together with Anna!
We finally make it to the last short climb before the scary descent. I tell Anna not to wait for me once she gets down the hill but to keep pushing. She starts to pull away and chase down Evelyn who appears to be slowing down. Soon after Troy and his group passes me. I tell him good job.
Just at the top of the climb on a short descent to the big downhill, I try to shift to my big chain ring and I hear a snap. I am unable to shift. Oh dear, the shifting cable must have broke. This happened before here. I can get through the race without it. I thank God and tell Him I appreciate there is no rain and my family has been safe today.
I make it to the descent. I forget how bumpy it is. The bike violently shakes and bounces as I go downhill. I hit a spot where my back tire kicks up. It scares me that I slow down a lot. Going slow doesn’t help much. I try to release the brakes but keep getting scared. I get to the bottom and I am completely alone. This next 21 miles is going to be long!
I want to get rid of my rain jacket and I look for Ariel as I come around to see if I can hand it off. I pass by the van and see her in the distance. She’s too far to pass it to. I wave and smile and she waves and smiles back.
As I make it to back to the feed zone I see Shantelle’s dad. He asks if I want to hand him my rain jacket! Yes! I tell him thank you and hand it over. It’s a good thing too because about a mile down the road I see Anna’s water bottle on ground. It’s a nice bottle too so I stop to scoop it up.
The big climb always is so much harder the second time and to be by myself is even harder. I see some riders ahead off to the side of the road. I am relieved to find out it’s not Anna crashed on the side of the road. Just a couple of guys fixing a flat.
I make it over and find my way this time on the right road. A few guys catch me including a guy that was helping fix the flat. I try to keep them in my sight. I wonder if I’m one of the last riders out here. The backside again has a nice tailwind and I happily see the miles go by quickly.
I hope to finish under 3 hours. It’s going to be close. I’m going to have to push the downhill this time. I get to the downhill and hold on. I hit that same bump that kicks up my back tire but I resist braking beyond some light squeezes here and there. I hope there are not any cars on these corners! The road should be closed. The bike is shaking so violently. It seems like the whole thing should just fall apart! I make it most of the way down and know the worst is over. I come around a corner and there is a car! Oh my, thank you Lord that car wasn’t up the road further. Please protect anyone behind me!
I see Evelyn on the side of the road ahead. She is fixing something on her bike. I’m going fast and decide not to stop since it didn’t seem serious.
I push to the finish and see Troy and Anna waiting. Thank you Lord for protecting them today! Thank you for the nice day! Thank you for making Anna strong! I love you Lord!
